Hi all,

Just purchased my Violin and now I am looking for some recommendations on some good begginers books, whilst I find a tutor in my area etc.

any recommendations ?

Regards

Darren

Whats the best way to tune the Violin?

I would have to, without a doubt tell you the Samuel Applebaums "String builder" series is spectaclar. However, it only goes up to grade 3. After that, your teacher will reccomend something! However, I assure you that string builder will be better than good for you!
Deepest Regards
ANTON

Hi Darren,

I haven`t tried that book but that certainly sounds like a convincing recommendation!

Shall I send you some pitch pipes?

Liz

And about tunig, I again would strongly reccomend an Electric tuner. They are about £20-£30 and incredibly simple to use, although producing brilliant tuning.
I must warn you, (plz dont be offended anyone), that most teachers and tutors, THINK that they can tune, but they tune it either too sharp or too flat by a mile. I checked with an Electric piano, the tuner said that it was perfect.

The thing I should also advise you of would be MULTI - STRANDED STRINGS such as helicore. The thing is, if you buy them, they tune differently. Allow me to explain:

Let us say, non multi-stranded string were tuned, say -50 (halfway to the next note). Most people play with non multi-straned strings, so a teacher could know from experience that she would need to tune like, 2 degrees (turn the big tuning wheel tighter 2 degrees). But with Multi-stranded strings, you would only turn like, half a degree. So the teacher turns 2 degrees and your shiny, new string snaps. This happened several times with me, costing a total of £50 in only one week when I was playing more actively than usual at a residential course.

Hope you understand that...
... Sorry for being long...
... Deepest regards once more

ANTON THE VIOLINIST

PS: THE VERY BEST OF LUCK!

SRY FOR SPELLING MISTAKES

Pitch Pipes Liz? I take it those give you the pitch when you blow and you fine tune to that?

I will certainely need something to tune to, no good tuning it to my Sax, will sound a bit odd

Darren

Samuel Applebaums "String builder" I am looking for them now, thanks

Just ordered those books thanks, found all 3 online for £9 + p&p, I thought was good.

Would an electronic tuner be better than the pipes?

Yes an electronic tuner would be better than the pipes.

I`m now going to contradict Anton:

Violinists invariably find the A and then tune in perfect fifths, whereas the piano, pitchpipes, electronic tuners etc are all equal temperament. To tune to an electronic tuner using equal temperament you have to adjust the pitch between notes, I can`t remember the exact details because I don`t do it, but one end goes up 2 to A=442 and the other end goes down 2 to A=438.

Since tuning to perfect fifths is generally something that violinists don`t start doing until they`re around grade 7, don`t worry about it too much. But that is why Anton is saying what he is saying.

As for those strings breaking in that sort of quantity, sorry but that has to be a fault either with the particular batch of strings or possibly a very sharp edge on the violin and the string having been put on badly. I have known a Helicore cello C string to break immediately (ouch!) but no teacher is going to break strings at that rate, sorry Anton, it just isn`t going to happen.

Liz

I grew up on the Appelbaum books too...I think they`re very good...

Mmmm I have an electrnic tuner I use along side the Sax and my Father often pops round to borrow it for the guitar, maybe this 1 will work for the Violin.

What pitch do I need to set? Mhz?

O yes, that should be fine.

A = 440

I`d have to look all the others up!

Liz

Thnx, in that case this will work fine, works for my Dads guitar, My Alto but won`t work on the Soprano or at least not so as I have been able to figure out, even my old Sax tutor could not figure it out odd but....

It`s the IMT202, highly recommended. Was great for when I started out playing. I could read music fine but if I didn`t have the fingering chart at hand and forgot where for instance the D# is then I would use the tuner play around in the general area until I hit the correct note (the tuner will tell you when the correct note is played..will display D#, of course won`t tell you if you are in the correct octave tho

Darren

Liz: About the problem with the strings, it was like, 3 different sets.